Are you suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

It can be perplexing when self reflecting on my own psychological conditions and reactions while with the narcissist. Sometimes I look back stunned wondering how could I have ever gotten to the point of harming myself because of his cruel behavior?  It's outright shocking to remember some of my behaviors and thoughts...

"I can't believe I almost jumped out of a moving car being so desperate to get away from him/"

" I can't believe my whole world revolved solely around someone that could care less about me."

It's so clear to me now but....

when I was stuck in the mental fog all I could think was...I know this relationship is killing me but I love him and want to make it work

Crazy? Slightly! At least it's crazy from a social standpoint, but I can assure you that it makes sense from a psychological viewpoint.

Stockholm Syndrome or trauma bonding was named after a bank robbery in Stockholm where 6 people were held captive in a vault for almost 6 days. And if that's not bad enough, they also had bombs strapped to them!! Yet....after the police were able to free them they did all they could to DEFEND their captors. Even though they had been threatened, abused, and feared for their lives for over 5 days, they SUPPORTED the very ones who had abused them. One woman later became engaged to one of the criminals and another helped develop a legal defense fund to HELP them!!

Why do people bond with the very ones that are abusing them??? Well, it is actually a survival strategy for victims of abuse and intimidation.

There are four conditions that need to be present in order to serve as a foundation for Stockholm Syndrome and they are as follows:

1) The presence of a perceived threat to one's physical or psychological survival and the belief that the abuser will carry out the threat.

2) The presence of a perceived small kindness from the abuser to the victim.

3) Isolation from perspectives other than those of the abuser.

4) The perceived inability to escape the situation.

If you are having difficult leaving....or staying away....evaluate the above information, could YOU be suffering from Stockholm Syndrome??